1. Actors and Filmmakers with Recent Public Disclosures
Elliot Page, known for Juno and The Umbrella Academy, publicly came out as transgender in 2020 and identifies as gay. Page starred in Netflix's The Umbrella Academy and has spoken about LGBTQ+ rights in interviews and at events, with career data tracked by IMDb and Forbes. Billy Porter, star of Pose and the 2022 film Anything's Possible, has been openly gay for years and frequently discusses representation in entertainment, with recent projects covered by Deadline and The Hollywood Reporter. Read more on LGBTQ+ representation
Sam Smith, the Grammy-winning artist behind hits like Stay With Me and Unholy, confirmed being gay and nonbinary in a 2019 interview. Smith's net worth and streaming statistics are tracked by Forbes and Spotify, with recent albums charting on Billboard. Lena Waithe, an Emmy-winning writer and actress from Master of None and The Chi, has spoken publicly about being a Black queer woman in Hollywood and has produced projects for Netflix and Amazon Studios. Read more on LGBTQ+ representation
2. Musicians, Athletes, and Public Figures
Lil Nas X, the creator of Old Town Road, came out publicly in 2019 and has since become one of the most visible openly gay artists in mainstream music, with Billboard chart records and brand partnerships tracked by Forbes. His career data includes multiple Grammy nominations and a net worth estimated by Celebrity Net Worth. Jason Collins, the former NBA player, became the first openly gay athlete in North America's four major leagues when he announced his sexuality in 2013, with career statistics archived by ESPN and Basketball Reference. Read more on LGBTQ+ representation
Connie Britton, star of Nashville and This Is Us, has spoken about her sexuality in interviews and has a career spanning decades of film and television roles tracked by IMDb. John Amaechi, a former NBA player and psychologist, became the first former NBA player to publicly come out as gay in 2007, with his career statistics and advocacy work covered by ESPN and Outsports. Read more on John Amaechi
3. Television, Comedy, and Business Leaders
Ellen DeGeneres, a comedian and talk show host, came out publicly in 1997 on her sitcom and has since built a media empire including a daytime show and production ventures, with career data tracked by Forbes and IMDb. Neil Patrick Harris, star of How I Met Your Mother and A Series of Unfortunate Events, has been openly gay since 2006 and frequently discusses his family and career in interviews and at events. Read more on LGBTQ+